Where Your Heart Truly Lies
by Eirys
Summary: AU! The Winchesters are in Europe, Dean moves up north to a city where Sam lives as an exchange student. Song fic! Inspired by a French song.
1. Chapter 1

- Hi, Dean, Sam grabbed his big brother who was actually smaller in lenght in a bear hug.  
- Hey, dude, you gonna break my spine! Dean protested.  
- What? Haven't seen you for ages. And suddenly you're here.  
- Well, Helsinki isn't actually the heart of the universe, is it?  
- What brought you here, anyway?  
- Can't a guy come to see his brother?  
- Why do I have this feeling that I am not the only reason you're here?

Dean just shrugged.

Of course there was a girl involved. Sam figured it out later on. Her name was Anna. She was a pretty read-head Dean had met in Paris. She had studied one semester at Sciences Po. She had returned to Helsinki to complete her degree in the University of Helsinki.

There was something else as well. Someone else, to be precise. Someone who had stayed in Paris


	2. Chapter 2

Anna had woken up early to attend her morning lectures. Dean lay on the bed staring at the ceiling. He had made no plans for the day. Sam had to study as well – so, no quality time for the brothers.

For the first two months – September and October – Dean was eager to look around the city (with the numbers of habitants being so low, he would call it a town) but he had already took all the possible tram routes.

Let's face it, Dean wasn't actually linguistically talented (though he had a very talented tongue as he usually joked). English was the only language he could speak. In French he knew only the profanities. He had no interest in studying Finnish or Swedish as he wasn't sure how long he was going to stay in Helsinki

Dean sighed as he got up. He walked to the bathroom, shaved and put his clothes on.

Anna was lovely. Dean really liked her. He loved the chats they had in the mornings. Anna had a sense of irony. She used to educate Dean about the Finns. The proper code of conduct on public transportation – you always leave a seat next to you vacant unless it's the rush hour, there's no need to chat with anyone unless the train, tram, bus or ferry was stopped due to a technical difficulty. The Finns silence in two languages. Many a time Dean had got lost but there was someone who spoke English – all you had to do was ask for directions. In Paris if you wander about with a map there was always someone eager to help. In Helsinki he locals called the ticket inspectors on public transportation Smurfs as their uniform was blue.

Dean missed his car that was currently in the garage of an old family friend Bobby Singer back in the States. In Helsinki the public transportation was cheaper. He visited Sam's student apartment couple times a week. Luckily Sam's roommate Gabriel – also from the States – had a satellite dish as Dean had no interest for ice hockey.

Anna had reminded that Dean ought to by a warmer jacket as the winter was coming. Of course Anna was right. When Dean finally got out of Anna's apartment he had to put his collar up. He walked to the Rikhardinkatu library in the very centre of Helsinki. It was kind of a place that ghosts could haunt but somehow Dean liked the place. He climbed the stairs to the second floor and went to the room with internet access. He used Anna's library card to log in the computer. He checked his Facebook and email account and opened a chat. In few minutes there was someone who wanted to chat with him. He clicked the online conversation open.

**CasaNova:** Dean! Finally! Where are you?

**Deano:** In a library.

**CasaNova:** Could you be more specific?

**Deano:** In Helsinki.

**CasaNova: **_What?_Why?

**Deano: **Sam studies here.

**CasaNova:** I thought you weren't that close.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N So in this AU where did Dean meet Castiel for the first time? Here's a flashback. It takes places in the City of Love a.k.a. Paris_

Anna had dragged Dean to the_ Institut finlandais _- _Centre culturel de la Finlande à Paris_. It was located in the 5th arrondissement. She had told him the drinks were free and Dean had agreed to accompany her. There was an event promoting the culture of the Nordic countries. Dean had no interest in the event so he found a quiet corner where he was sipping from his class of sparkling wine and eating Scandinavian pastries. As it happened a young French diplomat was present. He sought bored-looking guy's attention by grabbing his upper arm. – So, DEAN, a musky male voice said. – You don't look like a Swede or a Dane. And your name is not even remotely Scandinavian.  
- Are you some kind of expert, then? Dean questioned. He glanced at the name tag on the guy's chest and said. – And right back at you, what kind of name is Castiel?  
- You are American. Where from?  
- Lawrence, Kansas. You?  
- Paris, Île-de-France, France.  
- Cute, Dean chuckled. The guy in the suit tired actually be funny. – So, why are you here?  
- I am working. Well, mingling. How about you?  
- I'm with a friend.  
- Is she a Swede?  
- How do you know if my friend is a she?

Castiel raised an eyebrow. – A wild guess.  
- She's a Finn, actually.  
- Have you been here long, Dean?  
- A couple of months. I have a fixed-term contract here. Your English is impeccable, Cas. What do you do for living?  
- I am a desk officer at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. My parents were diplomats so I've seen quite a lot of the world. Is this your first time in Europe?  
- Yeah, I've only been to Mexico and crossed the Canadian border once.  
- Look, Dean, I'd be happy to show you around in Paris.  
- Well, sure. Look, I have to find Anna.  
- Why don't you give your email and I'll get back to it?

*BACK IN HELSINKI*

**CasaNova:** Dean where did you disappear last time?

**Deano:** I ran out of time, sorry.

**CasaNova** : It's okay. How is it in there?

**Deano:** Cold.

**CasaNova:** Well, the winter is coming to Paris as well.

**Deano**: Anna said that it'll come whole lotta colder in here.

**CasaNova: **I bet. By the way I found a new ring tone for you, if you happened to call me.

**Deano:** Oh yeah?

**CasaNova: **It's a French one.

**Deano: **So?

**CasaNova:** It's called Helsinki.

**Deano: **So?

**CasaNova: **Check it out, if you have time.

**Deano:** I thought you said it was in French.

**CasaNova** : Yes, it is. Sung by Mélanie Pain and Julien Doré.

**Deano:** Never heard. Look, I got to log out. Anna wants to use her computer.

_ - depuis ton départ il fait toujours plus froid_

_Comme si le vent d'Helsinki soufflait jusqu'ici bas_

_Dans mes rues de Paris ne résonne plus tes pas - _

Helsinki by Mélanie Pain and Julien Doré (2009)


	4. Chapter 4

A/N Little something I wrote as the winter finally arrived here with plenty of snow.

*Intermission*

It was Saturday morning. Anna yanked Dean's shoulder and practically yelled into Dean's ear. – Get up! It's snowing outside!

- What time is it?  
- It's wintertime! Get up! Get dressed! I'll give you the whole _This is Finland_ experience.

- Anna, no. It's snowing. It's probably cold.

- Don't be like that! Where's your winter spirit? Snow is fun. Come on you sloth! You always complain that we do anything together.

Anna grabbed the blanket and threw it away. She took Dean's both hands in hers.

Dean gave in. – Fine.

- Yeah! That's the spirit! Anna said kissing Dean on the cheek.

When they got outside all wrapped inside warm clothes, the ground was covered by snow blanket of 10 centimeters thick.

- Let's go to Kaivopuisto, Anna said holding two snow gliders in her hand.

- What are those for? Dean asked suspiciously. – You think the snow will eventually cover us and we'll have to dig our way out?

- Of course not you silly. You'll see.

Anna climbed up the hill and Dean followed. Once they reached the top Anna gave Dean a glider. – Should I go first?

- I am not going downhill with this. These are for children!

- Oh, Dean, where's your inner child? Anna mocked and off she went. She screamed like a child as she slid forward.

She got up and turned to look at Dean who still was at the top of the hill. – Come on, you coward!

Dean swallowed his pride and took Anna's advice. It was actually fun. They did the same for several times and Dean didn't remember when the last time he had so much fun was.

- Hey, Anna said. –Look at that, no one has gone through that spot.

- So?

- Perfect spot for snow angels!

- Oh, come on, Anna. What are you, twelve?

Anna just smiled and threw herself on the ground. She started moving her limbs. She got up and admired her masterpiece.

Dean just shook his head. The girl was crazy. But he had fun.


	5. Chapter 5

Anna wasn't too pleased when Dean told that he was going to join Sam and his friends from the university in a cruise across the Gulf of Finland, to Tallinn, Estonia.

- Dean, when I suggested a cruise to Stockholm you said you had no money and didn't want me to pay for it. But it's okay for you to go to Tallinn with your brother.  
- Look, Anna. I'll be back tomorrow.  
- Yeah, with a hangover. Really classy.  
- I need to get away from this place for a while.  
- Can we go to my parents next weekend then?

The crossing of the Gulf of Finland took two hours. Dean, Sam and the others went to the bar where there also was karaoke as "entertainment". Dean fed up quite quickly to the great classics that were sang out of tune and even worse translated into Finnish. – I'll go to the tax free shop to buy something for Anna, he told Sam.

In the shop there was this pretty lady with the cutest girl who clung into Dean's calf.

- Joanna! the mother yelled blushing for her offspring's behavior.  
- Oh, hi, there, Dean smiled. He had always liked children. The mother was really nice-looking.  
- I'm sorry, she's not usually like that. _Jo, vad gör du?  
_- So, that was Swedish? Dean inquired looking down the girl still clutched to his leg.  
- Yes, so where are you from?  
- From the States.  
- Long way from home, then. Are you here on your own?  
- No, with my brother and his friends. They are still at the bar. The karaoke didn't sound so great.  
- So you escaped here. Good choice. Jo found a new teddy bear.  
- Huh?  
- We were at the spot reserved for kids and there was this huge Winnie the Pooh soft toy. I had to drag her out of there.  
- Um, I was wondering if you could help me. I am trying to find something for my girlfriend Anna.  
- She's not here, is she?  
- She's in Helsinki.  
- Oh, so you live in Helsinki. You're such a cliché. Stuck in Hell for a girl.  
- Let me guess, you're not originally from Helsinki.  
- No, I am from Turku.  
- Sorry, my Finnish geography is really non-existent. Anna wants us to visit… what was the place… it ends with the same word that French word for 'dad'…  
- You mean Tampere.  
- Yes, that was it.

Jo finally let go off Dean's leg and went to her mother. – _Mamma, kan vi gå nu?_

- Hey, she wants to leave now.  
- Can I come with you? It's either you or the karaoke.  
- Okay, we'll go to the café to have something to eat. Feel free to join us.  
- Sorry, what was your name? I'm Dean.  
- Well, hello there, Dean. My name is Ellen.

It was easy to talk to Ellen. Dean talked a lot. Maybe it was due to the fact the changes of ever meeting Ellen again was low. He told about Castiel which was strange as he hadn't even told Sam about his friend in Paris.

_Paris flashback # 2_

Dean had actually emailed Castiel. Castiel had replied that they should meet near the metro station Invalides that so they could walk around.

Dean was reading a copy of _Slaughterhouse Five_ which he had bought from Shakespeare and Company.

- Hello, Dean.  
- Hi, Cas, Dean smiled. The guy was wearing a similar suit that he wore when they met. Dean on the other hand was wearing jeans and a T shirt.  
- I just got out of work hence the attire, Castiel said as though he had read Dean's thoughts. – I wasn't sure you would come at all.  
- Well, here I am.  
- So you are. Are you ready?

They started from Jardin des Tuileries. They just walked and walked and talked. They stopped for a beer a couple of times. Mostly it was Castiel who talked. He asked the questions. He didn't tell much about himself. Dean got the impression that Castiel was interested in him in a way that normally would have scared the shit out of him.


	6. Chapter 6

The little chats between Dean and Castiel became a regular thing. Dean complained about the weather a lot as the snow melted away (there will be more, Castiel tried to assure him) and it was just dark and cold all the time. Castiel told that he was thinking about applying a post in Helsinki. Dean told him not to. "There's nothing here, man!" he exaggerated. And I might not be here. "Where then?" Castiel asked. "Somewhere WARM".

Dean did some odd jobs in between, helped around but as he didn't speak any Finnish the communication weren't always that easy. In the shops the local young ladies spoke English but for some reason were too shy to talk. All he could get out of them was awkward smiles if he tried to compliment them. Well, he couldn't actually ask Anna to teach him to say "you have pretty eyes" in Finnish.

He even mentioned to Bobby that he might be interested in working for him while he and Sam were having a chat with Bobby via Skype. The older guy had said that he'll think about it. Sam was bit worried about his older brother as he was going to stay for the spring semester as well.

- What about Anna? Sam asked.  
- What about her? Dean shrugged. – We share the same flat, that's all, basically. I like her, I do. I don't know. This place's not for me.  
- So you really are going back to States?  
- I don't know.  
- We are planning to go to St Petersburg in spring.  
- Where do you get the money for it? You need a visa, right?  
- Of course.  
- Well, anyway, I don't want to go to Russia. There's just too much going on, okay?


	7. Chapter 7

Anna started typing "YouTube" on the browser and suddenly Helsinki Mélanie Pain was suggested. She clicked the link and she listened to the song. _Why would Dean listen to this kind of sappy song? And in French!_ Anna thought. She listened the song again. When Dean came back home, she asked whether he was trying to imply something.

- No! Dean denied.  
- So, there's no other girl in Paris?  
- Of course there isn't!  
- So what's with the song?  
- What song?  
- Helsinki.  
- Oh, it was just something I found.  
- You found a French song on YouTube? A French song? Look into my eyes and say you don't have a French chick in Paris!  
- Anna, I don't have a French chick in Paris. I am sorry I have upset you somehow. I really am.

Paris flashback # 3

Castiel took Dean to a night club and they both got very tipsy. When Dean got back from the dance floor after he had danced with some Canadian exchange student Castiel noticed that Dean had some lipstick on his cheek. Castiel leaned in closer and put his finger on Dean's cheek and wiped the rouge off. Dean turned his head a little. Castiel looked into Dean's green eyes as if he could see straight through his soul or something. Without thinking Castiel leaned in some more and brushed his lips on Dean's. Dean's reaction came little later. He backed off.

- Look, Cas, I… Just don't, okay? Dean got up and walked away.

Dean just vanished.


	8. Chapter 8

_Bientôt un matin j'embrasserai Anna_

_Et la regarderai dormir pour la dernière fois_

_Avec l'ombre de celui que je ne suis pas_

_Car je rentre à Paris_

_Car je rentre chez moi_

/HELSINKI Mélanie Pain & Julien Doré

It was the 23 of December. Dean had bought a ticket the day earlier. It had cost an arm and leg but he had to go. He pressed his lips on Anna's cheek, took his stuff and walked out of the door. The cold didn't bother him. He walked to the bus station and suddenly he was on the bus to the airport. He took his phone and called his brother who was still asleep.

- Look, Sam, I am going back to Paris.  
- What? Why? It's Christmas coming and all.  
- I know. I just have to.  
What about Anna?  
- I left her a note.  
- Dude, you didn't?  
- Look, I am sorry. I call you later.

_"Tervetuloa Finnairin lennolle AY879 Pariisiin…"_

After three hours or so Dean just took his hand luggage with him and strode from the plane to the terminal 2. He went through the procedures. Suddenly he noticed a familiar-looking guy in a suit.

- Hi Cas, Dean said.  
- You are actually here, Cas sighed. – You do know that Santa lives in the North of Finland.

Dean gave him a "what the hell" look?

- I was planning to write to him to ask if he could bring my friend from Helsinki to Paris, Castiel smiled. He wrapped his hands around Dean. – Best Christmas present. Ever.

Dean chuckled. – Well, in Finland they open their presents on Christmas eve.  
- Fantastic. Happy to be here?  
- This is where I belong. For now, that is.


End file.
